Details of Sculptor

Surname

Vanderstaine

Alternative Surname

Van der Stein

First Name

John

Initial of Surname

V

Year of Birth/Baptism

Flourished

1678-1700

Year of Death

Biographical Details

He was a stonecarver, servant and housekeeper to Grinling Gibbons. On 16 November 1678 a licence was granted for him to be employed under the architect Hugh May in the King’s service at Windsor Castle. A further permit from the Privy Council, dated 21 May 1679, allowed him to ‘remaine here wth out molestation together with John Oastes [John Nost I] and Arnold Luellan [Arnold Quellin]’ and ‘to go freely about the cities of London and Westminster, until further orders’ (TNA Domestic Entry Book, Car II, Vol LI, SP 44/51 fol 77-79). Three days later Hugh May certified that Vanderstaine was one of the men employed at Windsor Castle (TNA, Privy Council Register, PC, 2/68). There he worked on the elaborate royal throne, cutting slaves, a figure of Justice and two of Fame, as well as ‘three pieces of Trophies’ (Hope 1913, 318) (3). He also provided a pedestal for the King’s statue and sundry other work (4).
In 1684-5 he was in Oxford. ‘Mr Vanderstene Carver’ was paid £26 10s for unidentified work at the Physick Garden and the following year he was paid a further £7 12s for ‘cutting the Earl of Danby’s Statue, and for other Worke at the Physick Garden’ (Oxford, V-C’s Accts, Archive WP /21/5 unfol) (1). In c1693 he received £8 for models of classical philosophers (2) and in 1694 a payment for ‘fretwork in the New Library’ (5). In 1696 he was also paid for carving the eight statues on the west front of the building, and for ‘two eagles and eight key-stones’ (6).
Literary References: Green 1964 (1), 54, 82-3, 84; Gunnis 1968, 407; Whinney 1988, 443 n34, 445 n67; Beard 1989 (2), 51-2, 58